Recent floods in Pakistan have damaged the rice crop and prevented wheat from planting, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Global Agricultural Information Network.

The report said rice production for the 2022-23 marketing year was revised to 8.3 million tons, well below last year's record total of 9.1 million. Projected rice exports are also reduced to 4.5 million tonnes in 2021-22, which would still be a record, and to 4.2 million tonnes in 2022-23.

"During the first six months of 2022, rice exports increased to almost all traditional markets, including Africa, Gulf states and the EU, with shipments to China experiencing the most robust growth," the USDA said. The USDA noted that estimates of rice consumption for 2021-22 and 2022-23 increased to 4.3 and 4.6 million tons, respectively, "since the lifting of COVID restrictions allowed the resumption of social events, generating a positive impact on rice consumption."

The USDA said the recent floods are likely to negatively affect the 2023-24 wheat planted area in Pakistan. With large areas of Sindh province typically planted with wheat still submerged, the USDA said it "could take several months for flood waters to fall back." Farmers typically begin planting the wheat crop in mid-October to November in that region. The information is from World Grain.

Source: Agrolink